One aspect of this invention relates to a vertical-via rotary valve including a valve body having a housing; one or more fluidic channels, each fluidic channel having a vertical channel portion defined in the valve body and being adjacent to the housing, wherein a fluid flow through the vertical channel portion is controllable by deforming a sidewall of the vertical channel portion; and an actuator received in the housing and rotatably engaged with the one or more fluidic channels to operably control the fluid flow through the vertical channel portion of each fluid channel.

A device for in-vitro modelling in-vivo tissues of organs that includes a first body portion with at least one access chamber, a second body portion with at least one culturing chamber, and a culturing membrane dividing the at least one access chamber from the culturing chamber. The device further includes a third body portion with at least one actuation chamber having at least one limitation cavity, and an actuation membrane dividing the at least one culturing chamber from the at least one actuation chamber. With the device, a robust actuation system can be provided that does not depend on the mechanical properties of the actuation membrane material, nor on the pressure, and that allows to mimic three-dimensional deformations of the tissue, in particular of lung alveoli.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides tissue grafts, such as vascularized bone grafts, and methods for preparing and using such tissue grafts. In some embodiments the tissue grafts are made using pluripotent stem cells, such as autologous pluripotent stem cells. In some embodiments, the tissue grafts are made by creating a digital model of a tissue portion to be replaced or repaired, such as a bone defect, partitioning the model into two or more model segments, and then producing tissue graft segments having a size and shape corresponding to that of the model segments. Such tissue graft segments may be assembled to form a tissue graft having a size and shape corresponding to that of the tissue portion to be replaced or repaired.

A liquid filtration system comprising a syringe pump comprising a gas chamber and a movable plunger, wherein the gas chamber has an aperture at a first end and the plunger forms a seal within the internal walls of the chamber; a liquid chamber having two openings, the openings positioned at opposite ends of the chamber and the first opening connected to the aperture of the gas chamber; a bioreactor in fluidic communication with the second opening of the liquid chamber; a filter arranged to filter liquid passing between the bioreactor and the liquid chamber, the filter comprising a permeate outlet for removing filtered liquid; wherein, in use, the plunger may be moved in a reciprocating motion causing a corresponding movement of gas which drives liquid alternately between the liquid chamber and the bioreactor such that liquid passes through the filter and filtered liquid may be removed via the permeate outlet.

A bioreactor including a housing, a first fluid dispenser and a second fluid dispenser. The bioreactor is configured to receive a scaffold mounted within the housing with the first and second fluid dispensers being positioned to apply respective first and second fluids to at least two different regions of a mounted scaffold.

Methods of protein production in continuous perfusion mammalian cell culture bioreactors are provided. Methods for continuous perfusion culture by allowing cells to self-regulate the rate of addition of perfusion medium to the bioreactor via a pH change are presented. Compositions comprising the perfusion medium as well as the process advantages of using hi-end pH control of perfusion or HIPCOP are also presented.

An assembly includes a housing with opposite first and second layers. The first and second layers are spaced apart to define a confined interior space. A semi-permeable membrane is attached to the first layer, the semi-permeable membrane covering a porous area portion of the first layer. An outlet port and an inlet port are in fluid communication with the interior space. The assembly includes a first circulator for circulating a first fluid between the outlet port and the inlet port, and a second circulator for circulating a second fluid along an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The second circulator includes a fluid duct attached to or integrated within the housing. The fluid duct is isolated from the interior space and is porous to provide fluid access to an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The semi-permeable membrane forms a barrier allowing exchange of compounds across the membrane.

A liquid filtration system according to the present invention comprises a bioreactor; a filter configured to filter liquid passing therethrough; a perfusion pump configured to move liquid between the bioreactor and the filter; a liquid line providing fluidic communication between the bioreactor, perfusion pump and filter; and a bleed outlet provided on the liquid line, the bleed outlet configured to provide means to remove liquid selectively from the system under the action of the perfusion pump. With the liquid filtration system according to the present invention, both the filtering and bleed functions may be performed under the action of a single pump, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the components required.

Embodiments described herein generally provide for the expansion of cells in a cell expansion system using an active promotion of a coating agent(s) to a cell growth surface in some embodiments. A coating agent may be applied to a surface, such as the cell growth surface of a hollow fiber in a bioreactor, by controlling the movement of a fluid in which a coating agent is suspended, by changing flow rates, by changing flow directions, by rotation of the bioreactor, and/or combinations thereof.

In order to induce aging while cutting the costs associated with adding cytokines at different aging stages, in a system for aging induction including a first culture chamber for perfusing, with a culture medium, a subject of aging-induction, the subject of aging-induction being derived from a living organism; a second culture chamber for perfusing, with a culture medium, a secretor that secretes a cytokine; and a control device for aging induction including a detection unit, a memory unit and a control unit, a protocol for aging induction defining a procedure of aging induction is stored, and in the control unit, an aging state of the subject of aging-induction is detected with a detection unit, and based on the protocol for aging induction, a flow rate at which the culture medium containing the cytokine secreted by the secretor is supplied to the subject of aging-induction is controlled according to the aging state of the subject of aging-induction.